suspenseful

UK: /səˈspɛnsfʊl/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sus•pense /səˈspɛns/   n. [uncountable]

1. a state of mental anxiety and uncertainty, as in awaiting a decision or outcome:
   The movie has a lot of chase scenes, tension, and suspense.

sus•pense•ful, adj.: 

a very suspenseful movie.

See -pend-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sus•pense  (sə spens′), n. 

1. a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety.
2. a state of mental indecision.
3. undecided or doubtful condition, as of affairs:
   For a few days matters hung in suspense.
4. the state or condition of being suspended.

• Medieval Latin suspēnsum deferment, suspension, uncertainty, noun, nominal use of neuter of Latin suspēnsus hung up, doubtful, in suspense (past participle of suspendere to hang up, leave undecided), equivalent. to sus- sus- + pēnsus (pend-, stem of pendere (translation) to hang (see pend)+ -tus past participle suffix, with dt s)
• late Middle English 1375–1425

sus•pense′ful, adj.